The Value of Teamwork
by w nymph
Summary: By surprise both Ash and Richie lose their Pokémon to Team Galactic. Can they team up to get them back or will they be lost forever? DP Spoilers


AN: This is one of three Fics I'm working on right now. The other two stories are for Fullmetal Alchemist: _Changing Circles_ and Digimon: _Guardian of the Spirit_. Later will be my first priority, though I will try to update the other two as well. Summaries can be found in my profile. Please check it out.

Summary: By surprise both Ash and Richie lose their Pokémon to Team Galactic. Can they team up to get them back or will they be lost forever?

Warnings: Spoiler for Pokemon D&P

Ages:

Bock: 16

Ash, Richie: 14

Paul, Zoey: 12

Dawn: 10

Disclaimer: I don't owe Pokémon.

**--- The Value of Teamwork---**

**--- Chapter 01 ---**

Today we find our heroes having lunch on Route 215, while they travel towards Veilstone City, where Ash's third gymbattle awaits. But for now all our heroes, or better heroine can think about is the second ribbon that had been won in Hearthome City.

"Isn't it just gorgeous?", awed said heroine Dawn as she glanced into her ribbon box. Ash, who sat on a stone, waiting for the stew Brock was making to finish cooking, looked annoyed.

"Yes, it is. Just like it was the other dozen times you showed it to us.", he said sarcastically.

"Yeah? Well it isn't like you aren't doing the same with your badges, Mr. Pokémon Master!", bit Dawn back, now angered by the older boy's remark.

"Well they look much better then those contest ribbons of yours anyway!", Ash said and started another of their childish fights.

Brock, who was about to take the stew of the fire, sighed, knewing that soon he would be needed as referee. His best pall just had a talent to rub off wrong with girls. Then again, Ash had yet to see females in any other light then friends or annoyances.

But as it seemed there were other peacemakers, who had more than enough of the bickering. Just as the verbal spar had reached it's climax, Turtwig, Ash's newest Pokémon, decided to infer and tackled both off them into the river near by. Spitting both off them stood up, facing a grinning Brock.

"Looks like Turtwig decided to give the two of you a little cool down." Ash, now having all forgotten about his and Dawns fight, mock-frowned at the grasstyp.

"I though you were supposed to be on my side." he said, making the little Pokémon flinch and turn away in shame. Now grinning Ash went to the side of Tutwig, telling him that he had made just a joke and that it shouldn't take everything so literally. Glad to be forgiven, Turtwig showed his affection the best way he knew: biting into his master's head.

While Ash tried to remove Turtwig, Brock was helping Dawn, who was just as amused by the situation.

"You know she does have a point." Brock said to Ash grinning. Ash, who now held Turtwig (which had finally let go) in his arms, shrugged.

"I just can't help it but get excited about things…" Then realising his mistake he turned to Dawn: "Sorry about what I said; I know it's the same for you."

Dawn, accepting the apology, smiled: "I'm sorry too, Ash. Though I still have to meet a person that is just as easy to excite when it comes to Pokémon as you."

Brock frowned. "Well there is one guy, though we haven't seen him in a while now."

"Last I heard he was still looking through old Pokémon Legends for clues to the Legendary Ones.", Ash answered Brock's unasked question. "I know, because he sent me a letter after the _Evergreen_ tournament. Though it would be really cool, if he was here in Sinnoh."

Dawn wanted to ask after this mysteries friend of them, but in that moment the bushes began to shake, ending any conversation. Even the Pokémon became curious. Pikachu even went so far to stop eating and jump onto Ash's shoulder to have a better view and Turtwig, too was restless in his trainers arms,. Our heroes glanced into the green. Out came a strange man, with questionable haircut. He wore a grey uniform with a G placed prominent on the chest.

"Are you Pokémontrainer?", he asked coolly. When all of them nodded he questioned further: "Can I interest any of you into Battle?"

Ash nodded and stepped forward. "I would like to be your opponent."

"It's going to be a two on two double battle. No substitutions allowed." The man explained the rules as they faced off.

"That's fine with me!", Ash answered grinning. A double battle would be a good chance for Turtwig to improve in working together, especially after the tag-team battle with Dawn, which had ended near disaster. So he sat down the grass typ, who just as eager to battle. Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder, and decided so his second choice for this battle.

"I'll go with Pikachu and Turtwig!", Ash said. His opponent nodded, then pulled out his own Pokéballs. A Dustox and a Glameow appeared, apparently high levelled. And so the battle began.

-------

Far away from the battle, in the same forest, Zoey had started her work out with her new Shellos. It was no ordinary training since Zoey aspired the win of Sinnoh's great festival. She was close to finish, throwing now a Frisbee for her Shellos to manipulate with it's bubble beam. She threw it, but before Shellos had any chance to react a brown blur snatched it and landed on a tree. Irritated she looked up to find a Chimchar dancing, with the frisbee held over it's head.

"Could you give that back please?", she asked, annoyed that she had been interrupted. The Chimchar just grinned and jumped onto a higher branch, continuing to dance there.

Zoey started to have enough and ordered her Shellos to attack with Bubble beam but before the assault was able to hit…

"Sparky, Quick attack!", a voice to her left ordered, as a Pikachu zipped past her and tackled not Shellos but the Chimchar out of harms way. The Pikachu ('Sparky? What a weird name…', Zoey thought) jumped off the tree, landed beside the Chimchar, which had hit the ground hard and was now rubbing it's head, and started berating it.

Zoey picked up her Shellos, then turned to her left, where she saw a brown-haired boy in a green camper-outfit climb his way through the bushes. After he had freed himself from the last branch he turned to her.

"I'm sorry for the scene.", he said. "I hope Ember didn't cause to much trouble."

"Who's Ember?", the red-head asked confused, noting his Kanto-accent. The boy grinned and stepped forward and kneed beside the Chimchar and the Pikachu.

"Ember, what did you think you were doing, running off like that?", he asked the Chimchar, which looked ashamed to the ground. Not really awaiting an answer, the boy shacked his head.

"You really are a little troublemaker sometimes, aren't you?", he asked and motioned for 'Ember' to climb up to his shoulder. Ember, now again in a good mood, took the invitation as did the Pikachu. With the Pikachu on his left and Ember on the right shoulder the boy stood up and now turned grinning to her.

"By the way, my name's Richie.", he said. "That's Sparky und you already know Ember.", he introduced his Pokémon. "Again sorry if Ember caused any trouble."

Zoey, now unable to be angry with the nice boy replied: "No problem, nothing really happened. I was about to finish anyway. I'm Zoey."

Deciding to have lunch together, Zoey lead Richie to a clearing, where they began their break. Noting how comfortable Sparky seemed to be on his trainers shoulder, Zoey couldn't help but think about another boy with a Kanto accent and a Pikachu as best buddy.

"You Kanto guys really like to stick with your Pokémon, don't you?", she asked smiling while reaching out to pet Sparky, who purred under her touch.

When Richie looked confused at her, she elaborated. "You see, a few months ago I met a guy how is rather similar to you."

Richie leaned forward and asked: "That guy… Does he happen to have black hair and travel with a Pikachu and a dark-tanned boy?"

"Yeah he is…", the red haired coordinator answered confused. Sparky and his Trainer glanced at each other.

"It seems they are here too, Sparky. I didn't dare to hope but with that guy around, the Sinnoh league will definitely get interesting!" Zoey was just about to ask about the connection between Richie and Ash as a woman in a silver shining uniform broke through to the clearing.

Glancing coldly over them, she asked: "Are you Pokémon trainer?"

"Yes we are. Do you want to battle?", Richie asked. The woman nodded shortly and then explained the conditions.

"A Doublebattle without substitutions? That's fine with me.", Richie said as he stood up. "I'll be going with Amber and Sparky."

The woman again only reacted with a nod and pulled out her own Pokéballs. "Beautylfy, Zubat show yourself!"

Said Pokémon appeared, ready for the fight.

Zoey couldn't do anything but watch as her new friend got engaged into battle. But when she looked at the silver clothed woman she couldn't help but shudder, especially about the prominent G on her Chest, which just seemed to scream trouble.

'_I've got a bad feeling about this.'_

-------

Not so far from Richie's battle, Ash was about to win his fight. Pikachu was excellent at adapting to other Pokémon while in team and Turtwig too was becoming better. Beside Brock and Dawn, Team Rocket too was watching the fight.

"Dammed, the twerp seems to get stronger every time he battles." Jessie frowned, "At this rate we never will catch Pikachu."

"Well think it through logically!" Meowth said. "The stronger Pikachu is, the bigger the reward will be once we hand it over to the boss!"

"Think about all the money we will get!" James said excited. "We will finally be at the top of Team Rocket!"

While Team Rocket was entertaining (unreachable) daydreams, the silver-clad man was throwing calculating glances at his opponent's Pokémon. They were well trained and it seemed that they weren't far off evolving. Commander Mars would be quite satisfied with him if he brought her two perfect subjects for studying the evolution process. He watched as the boy ordered what he thought to be the finish.

"Enough!" he called out making the boy and his Pokémon stop confused.

"I've seen your Pokémon's potential. They will be perfect for our experiment." The boy looked just confused and frozen but snapped out of it when the older boy shouted at him to watch out from the sideline. But it was far to late.

"Glameow use Hypnosis, and you Dustox Stun powder!", he ordered. Both attacks hit their targets: the hypnosis the Pokémon, making them fall asleep and the Stun powder the trainers, who were now fighting the paralysis. Grabbing the boys two Pokémon the man disappeared in the bushes and grinned while running. This job was far too easy. But then again, Team Galactic was not far off to take over control in Sinnoh. And then the world would be theirs to take.

-------

Angry with himself Ash fought the effects of the stun powder, spitting and coughing. Staravia, deciding to have enough, used Whirlwind to blow away the powder and freeing the trainers from its influence.

"Good job, Staravia!", Ash praised. "Go and find that guy. He's not going to get away with that."

While the flying type took of, Ash turned to Aipom. "Let's get going Aipom."

Aipom nodded and jumped onto the trainer's shoulder.

"Ash, wait!", Brock called out. "We gonna need a plan!"

But before he could finish his black haired friend had already disappeared in the woods.

"He's always on the move, eh?", Dawn asked.

"You have no idea.", Brock answered head shaking as they ran after him.

-------

Not so far from them, Richie too had been separated not only from his new friend Zoey but also from Sparky and Ember.

"Just great! I thought Team Rocket would be the only Organisation who would dare something like that but apparently I was wrong! ", he whispered through his clenched teeth.

"And I just had to run into it. As if I hadn't enough trouble with those goons from Team Rocket, Cassidy and Bith… or whatever he was named."

Sighing he stopped running knowing that blind storming wouldn't get him anywhere. Regretting that he had left Zippo and Cruz home to train with his newest Pokémon he picked out his two remaining Pokéballs and threw them.

"Help me: Rose, Blossom!" he called as a Swellow and an Espeon appeared.

"We have to look for Sparky and Ember!", he explained the situation. "Rose, you look from above and come to me if you find anything." The Swellow nodded and took of. Now Richie turned to Blossom.

"You please help me look around here!" Blossom too gave him a sharp nod and then both of them darted further into the woods.

_Now both of our heroes have something to take back. Will they meet and regroup? Only time will tell…_

-----

AN: So much for Chapter 01… Love it? Hate it? Please R&R!

Preview: _While Ash manages to find TG's hideout, Richie runs into Paul. What will their meeting be like? Meanwhile the Pokémon meet up at Team Galactic's. Can they escape?_


End file.
